Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-10-16
CHAPTER VII.
rae yIcroRY on rRAFALaAR.

THE VICTORY OF TRAFALGAR
Day followed day, and season followed
season. had been with Lady Camplon
nearly two years. / had been 50 long IN the
great Quiet house, where no football was
ever heard on the thick carpets, so long
with the stately lady who saw everything
with blind eyes, that the old life seemed
quite gone and lost. No more running
and singing; and if, as happened sometimes
at first, q sense OF WEAKNESS would iall
upon me, madam, who OWNED everything
would admonish me:
at is for Willis sake, Pleasance"
And for his dear sake, what labor, what
WEAKNESS, could not be borne?
We did not stay all the time In the city.
LADY CampiOn had house at Chertsey,
whittier for for three months in the year we
repaired, goyerness, lessons and all Inere
a horse was kept for my own own riding,
and a groom to protect me. When sep
TENDER vanished, and the leaves were vel
low, we left Chertsey and drove back to
our city house in a carria ge almost as grand
as that of the Lord Mayor.
No letter from Will all this time; not
one line.
We kept up the deceitful correspondence
between Will and his mother. What tray-
els we eontrived for him! What adyen-
lures John Huntspill and l initiated from
books, OF invented out Of our own head!
What hair breadth escapes! What TO
mantle incidents! Madam had no suplclon.
She watched for the arrival of the letters;
she had them read and reread to her; she
learned them all by heart; she quoted them
as admirable specimens of the best modern
style. she dated events from incidents III
the letters.
They were all victorious in those days.
Surely there was never time when ma
ton was so brave as in the time OF that
long war. There was no note Of hesitation
then-no timid counsels. Girl as was,
gloried in the spirit Of the country, when,
with one consent, the nation flew to arms
TO resist the threatened invasion. Every
day after breakfast read aloud the Morn
ina Post, especially that portion Of the pa
Der which gave the naval intelligence.
One morning l read the LEWIS of the bat
tie of Trafalgar.
The list of casualties would be pub
lished in a few days. John Huntsplll and
/ went about with heavy hearts. he did
not dare to meet my eyes, for his Ports
mouth correspondent had found out that
all four were on board the Victory.
We had Examinations in the city to eel
brate the event of the Day OF Rejoicing.
We drove in state to church to offer up ouI
far from humble offering; we invited
guests for a feast of thanksgiving; we sent
money for the poor in token OF gratitude,
and we gave orders that the reJolelngs Of
the house of Campion Il Co. should excel
in splendor those of every other private
house. The front of the house was covered
over with 9 trellis work, on which were
fixed thousands of oil lamps OF different
colors, arranged in patriotic designs. Ia
the center was the lion and unicorn, with
the words God save King George
Above WAS the union jack, with the legend
'sHonor to the glorious dead" drew
out the plan by madam's instructions.
She thought me wanting in enthusiasm
and delivered q little speech on the part
which should be borne by women IN the
glory of their country. Above all, she
said-her words fell upon me as bad
omen-aboye all, women must be ready,
for the sake of their country, to lmperll
without a murmur the lives OF their hus'
bands, lovers or sons.
On the morning of this joyful day John
Huntspill, in paying his daily visit tC
madam. handed me quietly letter. II
was addressed to mel had seen the writ
ing once before, in the parish register-by
& d..
WHIP l fastened away and tore 1t oper
with trembling fingers. 1t was not iron
Will. 1t was from Dan CULVER, and II
was the saddest letter that ever girl re
ceived.
'MY DEAR PRETTY" (said poor old
Dspl-'sWe have made the port of Ports
mouth, with the admiral aboard in nj;
coffin. Jephthah was killed in the actor
with a round shot, which cut him in tive
pieces. MY poor, pretty Pleasance! dom
cry too much, nut Mr.. Campion fell over
board on the way home, and Is consequently
drowned. This is bad news for you, an
afraid, and for me too. Job sends his love
and he says he is alive, and he says h
wishes it had been him. Your atfectionat'
DAN GULLIvER."
That is the news which greeted me OF
the day of illumination for the victory o
Trafalgar.
My gOverness came to me. | sent bel
away with some eXcnse and sat down by
myself, saying over and over again, 81
that should be able to feel the whole bit
terness of despair: VIII is drowned! vii
is drowned We shall never see hin
sgainw
John Huntspill came in search of me
He saw by my face what had happened
He took the letter from my fingers ant
read it. Poor Pleasancep' he said
Poor, poor child~
think he must have sat with me al
that morning. / know he talked from
time to time, but forgot what he said
Presently l began to understand some
thing. ave must not let madam know, ,
he repeated. "She must never know. We
will prepare letter from-from her SON.
he paused, and for q moment his voice
broke stating that he is going on some
expedition mp the country; and then ne
more letters at all will come afterward and
YOU will mourn tOgether-you and hi:
mother. But she must never know hel
sons real end
Had had my will would have gone
straight to madam aud told her all. But
it seemed more meFciful that she should
be spared the details, which he wished his
mother never TO know.
For his sake, Pleasauee," urged John
Huntspill, ''for his sake be brave; keeI
your heart before her. Let not my lady''
pride, as well as her heart, be broken. She
must never know. For his sake she mus
never know"
He would not leave me till l promised
that would do my best. During the re
ioicings too would seem to rejoice.
Oh, heavy day! Oh, day which seemed
as if it would never paSsi At was
called to luncheon with madam. She wa:
in excellent spirits, happier than l had
ever known her. Presently she asked
sharply: What is the matter, Pleasance;
You are crying"
81 was thinking, madam" | sObbed,
''of the brave fellows who are killed"
Eyes, but there is time to mourn and
3 tine to rejoice. You were thinking, my
child, of my son." did not answer,
''Come to me, Piesssnce." She was sit
ting after luncheon in her arm chair beside
the window. Come to me-"
I knslt of her feat and hnried INV had in